a) Field of the Disclosure
The invention relates to a pedal-style wheelchair, and more particularly, to a three-wheel pedal-style wheelchair that is easily controlled to have a small turn, like whirling in one spot, to move and to turn safely, and is so small as to be readily got on or off.
b) Brief Description of the Related Art
Multiple of the foot impaired moves using wheelchairs. Most of the wheelchairs are controlled to go forward and backward and turn using hands to rotate wheels. Electric wheelchairs driven by motors are also popular and often seen in streets. However, these wheelchairs are not driven by feet and leads feet of the older or the foot impaired due to injury or sick to be even weaker than ever.
Recently, pedal-style wheelchairs are developed and have excellent effects on rehabilitation of the foot impaired using the pedal-style wheelchairs. For a handicap with hemiplegia caused by brain disabilities, when his or her dual ankles are fixed on pedals on a pedal-style crank free to rotate, the wheelchairs can go forward by the dual feet stepping. For an apoplectic person suffering from hemiplegia of upper and lower limbs at one side, a healthy lower limb not only can step, but a hemiplegic lower limb also can step with cooperation of the healthy lower limb. The pedal-style wheelchair can move in a long distance as fast as an adult marches and can be used by an apoplectic person suffering from hemiplegia with from slight to extremely severe movement disability only if joints or other movable parts are not obviously uncomfortable or have pain. Besides, another person finding it hard to move about due to other illnesses or injuries can use the wheelchair. Accordingly, the pedal-style wheelchair can improve weakened strength and palsy of legs. However, the wheelchair is not small enough and has a large radius of gyration such that the wheelchair is not convenient to be used in a ward occupied by relatively many beds and limited to a large expanse for rehabilitation. In order to be used in daily life, the wheelchair should have a small radius of gyration so as to be capable of turning in an elevator or another limited space.